Simple Celiac

Monday, August 16, 2010

Being GF/LF is actually pretty easy as long as I eat at home. Eating out is a completely different story. I have no control over how the food is prepared. Does it have added butter? Do the spices contain a wheat or milk ingredient? Because most people don't realize that wheat is often a hidden ingredient, they think of wheat as being confined to bread or pasta. The fact is that it can be found in any natural or artificial color...or flavor. It is often found in marinades, spices, condiments and salad dressings. Eating out can be a stressful situation.

Before you eat out, plan on making some phone calls. Pick a time when the restaurant is more at rest (2-3pm). Ask to speak to a manager. Begin by asking if the restaurant has an allergen list. Wheat and lactose are two of the nine major allergens and many restaurants will have information on them. If this list is available, you should be able to make a determination on food items. The next issue you will have to deal with is cross-contamination. That is extremely difficult to avoid in a restaurant environment. How are cooking utensils washed between preparing entrees? If you are having a hamburger (less the bun), is the meat prepared on a surface where gluten/lactose containing items are also prepared? There are a lot of questions to ask and the fact is...you will be taking a risk.

I am in the process of compiling a list of restaurant chains that offer GF/LF selections. It is slow going because we only eat out several times/month (if that many). I will update this list periodically.Five Guys Burgers and Fries (go here for allergy information) - I was thrilled to find that the burgers (without bun) and fries at Five Guys are GF/LF. The burgers do not contain any added spices and the fries are prepared in oil that only cooks fries. Double check with the location nearest you to make sure that the buns are indeed prepared on a separate grill. This greatly reduces the chance of cross-contamination.

Olive Garden (go here for GF menu) - Olive Garden offers several GF items, including penne pasta with marinara and several grilled items served with vegetables. I enjoyed the mixed grill yesterday although I'm not convinced that the roasted potatoes that were served as a side didn't have Parmesan cheese on them. As always double check with the server or manager.

OutbackSteakhouse (go here to check out an extensive GF menu) - If you are lactose intolerant, you will want to double check on many of these items.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

I was certain that I had accidentally thrown this recipe away and was thrilled to find it tucked back in a drawer. Since eliminating gluten and lactose, there are a few foods that I really miss...chicken enchiladas are one of those foods. These enchiladas are not only delicious, but safe for celiacs and those with lactose intolerance. I'm making these tomorrow!!!

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for about a minute. Add cornstarch, cumin and chiles; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Whisk in broth and 1/2 cup water; bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook, whisking occasionally until sauce has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken to sauce, combine.

Pour 1/4 cup of sauce into bottom of 8 inch square baking dish; set aside. Stack tortillas and wrap in a double layer of damp paper towels; microwave until hot, about 1 minute. Fill each tortilla with chicken mixture; roll up tightly and arrange, seam side down, in baking dish. Cover with remaining sauce and top with cheese.

Bake in 400 degree oven until hot and bubbling, about 15 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

(Another option is to prepare layered enchiladas. After pouring 1/4 cup of sauce into baking dish, layer tortillas and sauce (repeating and ending with sauce on top). This method will require more tortillas. Bake as instructed above.)

Monday, August 9, 2010

We haven't tried this recipe yet, but it is part of the weeks menu. Since dropping gluten containing foods, rice has become an important part of our diet. We eat one serving almost every single day. I like to make several servings ahead of time to use in future recipes. It reheats well in a skillet and cuts down on the number of dishes to be washed each night.

Cook the wild rice according to package directions (I like to prepare mine in chicken stock). Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned, 10-15 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in cooked rice. Cook until warmed.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Living gluten/lactose free means reading lots of ingredient lists and making tons of phone inquiries concerning products. While we prepare most of our meals from scratch (it's the safest), there are many *GF/LF products available. Here are some of my favorites (The date in parenthesis indicates the last date of confirmation):

Thoroughly mix all ingredients and form into four equal sized loaves. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Recipe from the Celiac Sprue Association website. The recipe found on the website mentions pressing 1/2 lb of sliced mushrooms into the surface of the meatloaf before cooking. I bet the mushrooms would add a great flavor...I just didn't have any on hand.